Laundry machine and method



Nov. 22, 1938. .1. BNKIRBY LAUNDRY MACHINE AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filedma 16, 1950 W) I a.

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30 James B Kirbs Nov. 22, 1938.

llllllllllllllllfillllflfiilllllllllllll J. B KIRBY LAUNDRY MACHINE AND METHOD Filed May 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 James- B\ 143.219

LN vJEN To R Patented No 22, 1938 UNITED-(STATES PATENT OFVIFICE 2,131,715 LAUNDRY MAcnmaANp mn'rnop James B. Kirby, West Richfield, Ohio, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, it corporation of Ohio, as trustee Application May 16,1930, Serial No. 452,957

25 Claims. (01. 3-13?) This invention relates to laundryimachines, by which term I mean to include "clothes washing and liquid extracting devices, and has for its object the provision of new, improved, and simplified driving means for operating either or both a washing element and an extractor element. Heretofore it has been customary vto operate washing and extracting machines by the use of electric motors, the power of the motor being communicated to the mechanism by way of suit able gearing or mechanical movements, excepting that in my application Serial No. 371,544, filed June 1'7, 1929, which matured on October 24, 1933, into United States Letters Patent No. 1,932,246, I described certain illustrative machines wherein this transmission of power was efiected by means of fluid pressure mechanism. An important characteristic of the present invention is that this power is transmitted by pneumatic means, and an illustrative embodiment of my invention is shown in the annexed drawings, although it willbe understood that these are not intended to limit me tothe particular features of construction illustrated therein, either as regardsthetypes of washing apparatus or the presence or nature of the extractingapparatus or the detail construction pf the pneumatic apparatus.

In these drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional view corresponding to the broken line l-I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a horizontalsectional view corresponding to thebroken line 2+2 of Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig; 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionalview' corresponding to the line 44 of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5; Fig. 5 is a sectional view corresponding tothe line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and lookmgupwardly; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the samemechanism as shown in Fig. 5 but illustrating the position assumed thereby at different stages of itsoperation; Fig. 8 is a'sectional view corresponding to'the line 8-8 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 9 is an enlarged horizontal, sectional view taken on a line just belowthe bottom of the extractor container to show the 1 details of the extractor driving turbine;

f The particular washing machine chosen for the exemplification of my improvements comprises two separate 'compartmentsA and B. The compartment A. in .the present embodiment'consists of a cylindrical, sheet-metaL'casing I set on a base plate 2, and the compartment B consists oi asecond, smaller casing, 3, set-on the same 7 base plate 2, the whole supported by legs I. Ti htly secured to the upper ends of the casing wa ls is ahorizontal top plate having a web por- 5 tion 5 above the compartment A and a web portion 6 above the compartment B, each of these web portions slanting inwardly and downwardly from the rim to the apertures I, 8, respectively, and preferably formed with a single, up-standing, marginal flange 9 surrounding both apertures. 5 The aperture 1 is provided with a cover Ill by whichthe same may be tightly closed, and the aperture 8 is likewise provided with a cover II by which it can be tightly closed.

The compartment A is the washing-compartl0 ment and contains the washing element, which in the present embodiment consists of a dasher or liquid agitator dolly. l2 oscillatable about a vertical axis and having a plurality of wings or vanes l3 which may be of any desired conformation, and preferably also terminating in a circular disk I4 adjacent the bottom of the compartment. Carried by the casing-bottom beneath'this dasher or washing element, whichispreferably hollowed out somewhat for the'purpose, is the operating element which consists of a reciprocating pneumatic motor. In the form here shown this comprises a casing having a cylindrical wall IS with a flat top l6, and a fiat removable bottom plate l1. Journaled in the top and bottom is a vertical rock-shaft 3| havingat its upper end a fluted \head I8 which tightly receives a suitable socket of the dasher in supporting andoperating re1a tlon.. Carried by the side of this shaft inside the motor-casing is a rigid blade 20 adapted to sweep back and forth past the wall l5; and formed at one side of this casing is a radial partition 2| which is'here shown as having a considerable angular extent.

Carried by-thebottom plate 2 is an air pump 24, and connected to said air pump in driving reeither to the washing element, or to the extracting element depending upon the position of the valve member 29, whichis determined by a handle 3i! located above the top plate, It will be obvious to those skilled in the artthat many other types of pump could be'used or that this pump could be rotated in a direction to produce negative pres- I sure, provided only that certain well known changes in valves and piping were made. I find shown in neath (as shown ing one oi its ends or greater angular extent than some practical advantages in the use of positive pressure, but many of the advantages of my improvements can be enjoyed by the of negative pressure so that I do not limit myself except where special considerations exist.

To convert the pneumatic pressure produced by this pump (whether. greater or less than atmospheric) into an oscillatory motion of the shaft 3| requires the employement of a proper valve mechanism, many examples of which are known. The particular mechanism I have shown in this application is taken from a commercial pneumatic motor device and thefollowing description of its construction and mode of operation is given solely to render my application technically complete and not because this ,particular valve-mechanism constitutes a part of my invention or has any particular advantage as compared with numerous other valve-mech-- anisms that can equally well be employed.

Secured to the bottom face of the bottom plate I1 is a second hollow casing 32, which may be called a valve casing since it houses the valvemechanism. Formed in the partition 2| are three spaced ducts 33, 33133. Duct 33 opens through the plate l1 and extends to the top of the casing l3, (see Fig. 4) while ducts 33 and 35 traverse the plate I1 and then open sidewise' through'the opposite faces of partition 2| as Figs; 3 and 8. The bottom end of shaft 3| is reduced in size as shown at 33 and also projects through the plate l1 where it is surrounded by a valve arm 31 having at its free end a head '33 whichis hollowed out underat 33 in Figs. 4 and 8) so'as to connect the duct 33 to either of the ducts 33 or 33 depending upon the position which said head occupieathe other of said ducts meanwhile opening directly into the valve casing 33. The opposite end of the arm 31 is extended to produce two spaced fingers 33. Pivoted on a stud 3| at one side of the extension 33 is a button 3!,hav-

bent vertically to constitute a finger 33 which projects between the fingers 33-33. The opposite end of said button is bent in the opposite direction to form a finger 33 to which is attached a spring 33. The arm 31 is iournaled on the extension 33 so as to be readily. movable about the axis thereof. Tightly secured to the end of this extension 33 is a plate 33 the partition 3| a plane which with one face and so located as to swing in shall bring it into contact first and then with the other face of the finger 33. A suitable hook at iscarried by this plate and one end of the spring 33 is attached thereto. A spring 33 is also shown as interposed between the plate 33 .and arm 31 for the purpose of holding the valve head 33 in sliding contact with the Plate. A

. The valve 23 being properl'y set and air un-',

der pressure being conveyed from the pump 23 to'the casing 32 byway of the pipe 39,this air will pass through the open port, (such as port 33 in Fig. 5) to the interior of the: casing,l3 and force the blade 33 in the appropriate direc: tion. while theair at the other side of said blade escapes into compartment A by way of duct 33. This motion proceeds until the plate 33 is brought into contact with the finger 33 as shown in Fig. 6 and onward, carrying button 33 until (by the movement of the button in one direction and the hook 31 in the opposite direction) the spring 35 has been carried past the post 3i, whereupon the spring quickly completes -a suitable outlet mounted in the lower part of this the movement of the button which, by the interaction of fingers 33 and 30 shifts the valve head 38 from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7, and the motion of the blade 20 vent escape of the washing liquid through the pneumatic system in case the flasher be removed before the liquid, or the casing filling before introducing the dasher, the top of the casing is preferably provided witha loose rubber flap 32 to act as a check valve. I During the operation of the pneumatic motor the dasher is driven with a'reversely rotary movement and the vanes i3 of the dasher throw the liquid in the tub outwardly therefrom 'where-' upon it flows in a turbulent manner'back to the source of agitation, this cycle being repeated continuously as is customary in machines of the type employing an oscillatable dasher of the type disclosed. During the'time the liquid in the tub is thus mechanically circulated. the air escaping from around the edge of, the disk i3 bubbles upwardly through the moving liquid,-

aerating the liquid and articles being washed and at the same time providing a second means for agitating the liquid contents of the tub. The escaping air also prevents the articles being washed from working underneath the flasher. 30 connectioniattl'ie bottom or .freef adapted either 'dischargo'sinkn the compartment A and provided. at its extremity with a goose-neck 33 to be hooked over the rim-of-a 51 or' to be supported by'the 3rof'the top plate. The web 5 provided with lperture 53 for the escape offthe'waste air, and

a plug 59 is provided by which this'aperturecan be closed, whereupon the entire liquid con-' tents of the casing 'are expelled through hose, which isone of the-incidental advantages of positive pressure over negative pressure Mounted in the compartment 13 is the com tainer element 63 of a centrifugal extractor. This'in the present embodiment is rotatably mounted upon a rigid studgii projecting up wardly from the bottom of the compartment.-

Carried by the. bottom of this container are a plurality of' turbine blades or vanes 33, and container are suitable nozzles 33, hereshown as two'in number adapted to impinge upon said blades the pressure fluid which issues therefrom. I have shown the bottom of the container as provided with segmental shields 33 covering those blades which are nearest the respective nozzles. This ability to drive an extractor is another advantage oi using positive pressure.

It-is my preference to locate the respective pneumatic motors wholly inside the respective compartments and therebyd ispense with the necessity of having any moving part projecting through the bottom of either compartment. In

this way leakage of liquid is prevented. Acci-' dental leakage of liquid through the no zzle'33 is prevented by forming goosenecks 65 in the pipes which shallconstitute air-traps.

A drainage hose 66 is connected in communicating relation with the bottom of the compactment E1. The end of this hose is bent in a goose neck tl adapted to "be hooked either over the rim all of the waste sink or into the aperture i or" the compartment A in case it'be desired to return the liquid thereto. The cover ll being closed, and the web 6 imperiorate, as it is, the

air pressure collecting in the container Elwin very shortly expel the entire liquid contents thereof through this hose. contents have been expelled will rotation of the container tt commence, which constitutes a very satisfactory safe-guard against injury to the operator, since a certain amount of liquid is gen.-

erally carried over into this compartment from the washing compartment, and even though the valve it he set as shown in Fig. l, rotation of the container til will not ordinarily commence until the cover ll has been closed, whereupon the liquid lying in the bottom of compartment B is first discharged, after which the rotation commences and high speed is easily obtained.

Owing to the large area of the covers it and it catches iii are desirable to prevent their flying open. This mode of liquid election is tooth simpler and more satisfactory than any liquid pump since neither suds nor lint can impede it and since this air pressure evacuates the entire hose as well as the casing, leaving no liquid residue tofreeze or decompose. The reason for employing a hole iii and plug it is to prevent the uninten tional ejection of the liquid contents.

it will he understood that I do not limit my self to the type of washing element herein shown since iiuid pressure operating mechanism can he applied to other types; and I do notlimit my seli to laundry machines having extractors, nor

do i limit myself to the type oi" fluid pressure pump here showrnnor to the type of fiuid'pres sure motor, nor to the use of air as a working fluid nor in any other wise eirceptas specifically recited in my several claims which ll desire may be construed separately, each independently of limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention what ll claim l. in a washing machine, a liquid holding cas-' ing, a pneumatic motor inside said casing near the bottom thereof, said motor having a vertical shaft, a supply pipe for air under pressure traversing the casing bottom and connected to said motor and an agitating element operatively connected to said shaft, said agitating element having its lower part hollowed out for said motor and said motor discharging its waste air into said hollowed-out portion. i

2. in a washing machine, a container for liquid and articles to be washed, impeller means oscil latahle about a vertical axis for creating violently flowing currents of movement of the tub contents away from and back to the source' of agitation while at the 'same time maintaining the articles to be washed freely suspended in the cleansing liquid as they are circulated therewith, and means for simultaneously aerating the contents of said container.

d. In a washing machine, a. container for liquid and articles to be washed, impeller means oscillatable about a vertical axis for creating violently flowing currents of movement of the tub contents away from and back to the. source of agi-' tation while at the same time maintaining the anemic Not until these liquid articles to be washed freely-suspended in the cleansing liquid as they are circulated therewith, and means for forcing a gas through thecontents ofsaid container.

4. In a washing machine, a container for liquid and articles to be washedan agitator oscillatable about a vertical axisand extending upwardly from, the bottom of said container for creating violently flowing currents oi .movement oi the tub contents away from and heel; to the source of agitation while at the same'time maintaining the articles to be washed freely suspended in the cleansing liquid as they are circulated therewith, and gaseous means for effecting the eloullition oi the liquid contents of said container. 1

ii. in a laundry machine, a container adapted to hold liquid and articles to he washed, a centrally disposed, varied clothes washing element inside said container and spaced inwardly a substantial distance fromthe side walls of the container so as to deline a space for the circulation of the liquid and the articles helng washed, means comprising a pneumatic expensibie=chamher type motor ior driving said clothes washing element in a to-and-fro manner, the operating fluid oi said motor exhausting into the lower. part of said container and assisting in the washing operation, and means for supplying a fluid under pressure to said motor.

(i. in a laundry machine, a container adapted fill to hold liquid ani'l articles to he washed, a cen trally disposed, vaned clothes washing element "therein spaced inwardly a substantial distance iron-i the side walls oi the container so as define a space for the circulation of the liquid and the articles being washed, means comprising a pneumatic enpansihle-chamber type motor being washed and a pneumatic expansihle-chamher typemotor for driving said element in a toand-fro manner both located inside said container and operatively connected together, theoperating fluid of said motor exhaustinginto the lower part of said container, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to said motor, and a valvecontrolled connection between said means and said pneumatic motor.

. t. In a washing machine, a liquid containing casing, an air pressure-driven expansible-chamiii till

her type motor located inside said casing, a centrally disposed, varied liquid agitating element operatively connected to said driving mechanism and spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the side walls of said casing so as to define a space for the circulation of the liquid and the articles being washed, said air pressure-driven motor exhausting air into-the lower part of said casing and assisting said element in agitating the liquid therein, means carried by said machine underneath said casing to create the air pressure 'to operate said mechanism and element, and stationary conducting means for air under pressure traversing the casing bottom and connecting said and rubbing and scrubbing the pressure creating means mechanism.

9. In a washing machine, a liquid holding casing, a fluid pressure motor inside said casing and fixedly secured to its bottom, said motor having a vertical rock-shaft, an agitating dasher secured to and carried by said rock-shaft, said dasher having a hollow bell-shaped base spaced, above and surrounding said motor, the rim of said base closely approaching the tub to prevent the, articles being washed from working thereunder, and a fluid-pressure supply pipe traversing the casing bottom and connected to said motor. v.

10. In a washing machine, a tub, an agitator said pressure-driven therein comprising a dasher having a circular hollow base and blades extending above the same, in combination with a fluid pressure motor located inside said base in spaced relation thereto andhaving a shaft operatively connected to said agitator. and means for securing said motor to the bottom of the tub with said blades projecting above and outside the same, the base of said dasher closely surrounding said motor to prevent cloth articles in the tub from wrapping about the shaft of said motor during the operation of the machine.

11. A laundry machine having a compartment for clothes and washing fluid, an expansiblechamber type pneumatic motor with a to-and-fro' moving driven element inside said compartment and having an outlet port for waste air dis-, charging into said compartment, a pneumatic pump outside said compartment. and operatively connected to said motor, an oscillatably driven vaned agitator inside said compartment and operatively connected to the drivenelement of said pneumatic motor, said motor exhausting into the lower part of said casing and assisting in the washing operation, and an electric motor outside said compartment and operatively connected to said pneumatic pump.

12. The method of washing clothes and other fabric articles in a liquid container which com-' prises immersing the articles to be cleaned in a detergent liquid in the container, and aerating the container contents while at the same time creatingviolently flowing currents in the con; tainer moving away fromand back to a source of agitation and a, source of aeration continuously clothes as they are circulated'whereby the fabric articles are at all times freely suspended in the detergent liquid and washed while so suspended.

13. The method *of washing clothes and other fabric articles in a liquid container which comprises immersing the articles to be cleaned in a detergent liquid in the container, and bubbling a gas in the container contents while at the same time creating violently flowing currents in the container moving away from and back to a source of agitation and a source of aeration continuously and rubbing and scrubbing the clothes as they are circulated whereby the fabric articles are at all times freely suspended in the detergent liquid and washed while so suspended. v

14. The method of washing'clothes and other fabric articles in a liquid container which comprises immersing the articles to be cleaned in a detergent liquid in the container, and aerating the container contents while at the same time creat-' ing violently flowing currents in the container moving away from and back to asoui-ce of agitatlon and a source of aeration continuously and rubbingand scrubbing the clothes as. they are circulated, certain of such currents being in a,

' tub bottom, and means dolly adapted to be air outwardly from the dolly water lower direction opposite to the movement of the in through the container contents whereby the fabric articles are at all times freely suspended in the detergent liquid and washed while so suspended. 15. In a domestic washing machine of the class described, including a tub for containing water and clothes to be washed, an agitator within the tub rotatable on a vertical axis and having a downwardly flared portion adjacent the bottom of the tub for agitating the water and clothes,

pumping mechanism mounted on the machine,

means connecting the pump with the interior of the agitator for introducing gas thereto, and means providing for the escape of the gas from the agitator into the body of water.

16. In a washing machine, a casing for liquid and articles to be cleansed, an agitator mounted for oscillation about a vertical axis and having a base, the lower margin of which approaches the discharging air beneath the base of said agitator.

17. In a washing machine comprising driving power means, the combination of a tub for containing a cleansing liquid andlmaterials to be washed, 8. liquid agitator dolly, mechanism mounted in said tub adjacent the bottom thereof driven by said power means for oscillating said agitator dolly, said agitator dolly having means whereby, when the same is oscillated, air is simultaneously emitted therefrom into said water while the water is forced laterally first in one and then in an opposite direction toward the interior of'the tub, so

that the materials being lated by the movement of the water and the aerated water forced towards, through and around the materials to cleanse the same, and means to'supply said air to said agitator dolly.

18. In a washing machine, a tub havingbottom and side walls, a bladed agitator, instrumentalities for movably mounting the agitator in the tub and for actuating the same in a horizontal plane in immersed relationship to the water in the tub to impel the water outwardly towards the side of the latter, a forced air supply having a discharge passage to permit emission of air in immediate adjacence to the agitator to commingle with the water agitated thereby.

19. In a clothes w' ng machine, a tub for water and clothes to be washed, a dolly adapted to be submerged in the for actuatingthe dolly cleaned will be circuto correspondingly agifor discharging air near the bottom of the dolly into said agitated water and clothes.

20. In a washing machine, a tub, a winged submerged in the water in the tub, means for actuating the dolly in a horizontal direction to correspondingly and move its contents, and means for discharging into said water and towards said contents.

21. In a clothes washing machine, a tub for water and clothes to be washed, a winged dolly adapted to be submerged in the water in the tub,

means for actuating the dolly in a horizontal plane to correspondingly agitate the water and move the clothes immersed in the water, and means for forcibly discharging air into the lower portion of said tub adjacent to said dolly so that ghdfly air tends to urge the clothes away from the In a clothes washing machine, a tub for and clothes to be washed, a dolly in the water in the tub, means agitate the water 1 portion of the tub and an air conduit 'the dolly, means for actuating the dolly to correspondingly agitate the water and clothes, and

'means for forcing air through the air conduit and within said agitated water and clothes.

23. In a washing machine, a tub, an osclllating winged dolly formed and arranged to be submerged'in water in the tub, and 'an air supply means arranged to discharge air into the water from a point located within a zone defined by thebottom of the tub and a horizontal plane through the upper edge of the dolly.

24. In a washing machine, a tub, a horizontally oscillating winged dolly formed and arranged to be submerged in water in the tub, means for thereoi.

maintaining the dolly in position near the bottom of the tub, and an air supply means arranged to discharge air into the water from a point in close proximity to the dolly and at a substantial distance below the top thereof.

25. In a clothes washing machine, a tub for washing fluid and clothes, 'a vaned agitator mounted in said tub for oscillation about a vertical axis, the bottom of said agitator being adjacent to the bottom of the tub, and means for discharging air into the washing fluid from a point adjacent to the bottom of-the agitator and radially outwardly of the outermost portion JAMES B. ma 

